Watch assembly of a type with the housing arranged on the back of the hand

ABSTRACT

The watch assembly comprises a case housing the watch mechanism and the display screen, actuator means for actuating the mechanism external to the case and connected to the mechanism by connection means, and a wristlet supporting the actuator means, the connection means, and the case, which case is placed on the back of the hand. The wristlet comprises a flexible piece comprising: a) a proximal portion for surrounding the wrist; b) a distal portion for surrounding at least the first phalanx at the base of the index finger; and c) an intermediate portion for extending over the back of the hand between said proximal and distal portions and supporting the case. At least one actuator means is mounted laterally on the distal portion of the wristlet so as to be actuatable by the thumb of the same hand.

The present invention relates to the field of watches, where this termis used broadly, including stop watches, chronometers, etc. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a watch assembly for timingsports, with the controls offset in such a manner as to enable them tobe actuated with one hand only.

In conventional manner, a watch assembly comprises a case housing thewatch mechanism proper and a wristlet supporting the case and serving tohold it on the wrist of a user. When the user is wearing a pullover, ajacket, a shirt, or more generally any long-sleeved garment, it is oftennecessary for the user to push back the sleeve in order to consult thedisplay screen of the watch or indeed to have access to controls foractuating the mechanism of the watch.

In addition, another drawback of conventional watch assemblies is ofconcern to people engaging in a sports activity, such as runners,cyclists, or even skiers. This drawback is associated with the fact thatthe means for actuating the watch mechanism are located directly on thewatch case in such a manner that the user must necessarily use the otherhand, i.e. the hand not wearing the watch, in order to operate thedesired controls. Such an operation is likely to interfere with smoothperformance of the sport in question, and can even lead to accidentsinsofar as it momentarily distracts the attention of the athlete.

In order to mitigate those two drawbacks, proposals have already beenmade for a watch assembly in which the case is worn beyond the wrist onthe back of the hand, and in which the means for actuating the watchmechanism are offset relative to the wrist, being located towards theend of the middle, ring, or little finger so as to be suitable for beingactuated by using the thumb of the same hand. Such a watch assembly isknown from U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,141.

In that document, the wristlet supporting the case and also the actuatormeans and the associated connection means connecting the actuator meansto the watch mechanism is constituted by a glove or the like coveringthe entire palm of the hand, the back of the hand, and at least theentire middle and ring fingers together with the zone between the indexfinger and the thumb. In a particular embodiment, shown in FIG. 11,provision is even made for an element supporting the watch, the actuatormeans, and the connection means that is superposed on a glove so as tobe capable of being fastened releasably thereto. Under suchcircumstances, there are therefore two thicknesses of material coveringthe middle and ring fingers.

The watch assembly disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,141 presents variousdrawbacks. It is uncomfortable for the user, in particular when engagingin sports in which it is not usual to wear gloves. The presence ofactuator means at the ends of the middle, ring, and possibly also littlefingers can lead to wrong operations as a result of the normal movementsmade by the hand when performing a sport, in particular by the ring orlittle finger pressing against the middle or ring finger, respectively.

The object of the present invention is to mitigate the above-mentioneddrawbacks by proposing a watch assembly which, in conventional manner,comprises a case housing the watch mechanism and the display screen,actuator means for actuating the mechanism external to the case andconnected to the mechanism by connection means, and a wristletsupporting the actuator means, the connection means, and the case, thecase being placed on the back of the hand.

In a manner that is characteristic of the present invention, thewristlet comprises a flexible piece comprising:

a) a proximal portion for surrounding the wrist;

b) a distal portion for surrounding at least the first phalanx at thebase of the index finger; and

c) an intermediate portion for extending over the back of the handbetween said proximal and distal portions and supporting the case; inaddition at least one actuator means is mounted laterally on the distalportion of the wristlet so as to be actuatable by the thumb of the samehand.

Because of this particular arrangement, the inconvenience due to thewristlet is very small. In addition, since the actuator means issituated on the thumb side of the index finger, there is no risk ofuntimely actuation due to two fingers pressing against each other, sincethe thumb is naturally spaced well apart from the other digits.

In a variant embodiment, the distal portion of the wristlet isconfigured to surround solely the proximal phalanx and possibly also themiddle phalanx of the index finger. The end of the index finger is thusquite free.

In a variant embodiment, two distinct actuator elements are mountedlaterally and longitudinally on the distal portion of the wristlet. Forexample, these might comprise a first actuator element for ON/OFFcontrol and a second actuator element for intermediate time control.

In a variant embodiment, two distinct actuator elements are mountedtransversely on the distal portion of the wristlet. For example, thesemight comprise a first element disposed on the side of the index fingerserving to actuate an ON/OFF control, and a second element disposedbeside the first, e.g. on top of the index finger, serving to actuate anintermediate time control.

Preferably, the actuator means and the connection means are flexible.Thus, the presence of said means does not lead to discomfort for thewearer.

In a variant embodiment, the flexible piece from which the wristlet ismade comprises at least locally a layer of flexible material, inparticular elastomer material, in which the connection means and theactuator means are integrated.

Under such circumstances, in a variant embodiment, the actuator meansare constituted by a powder that is locally mixed in the layer offlexible material and that presents electrical resistance that varies asa function of the pressure exerted thereon.

In a variant embodiment, the actuator elements are formed by silkscreenprinting on the wristlet.

The connection means may be constituted by metal tracks or wires orthreads embedded in the layer of flexible material, or possibly hiddenat least in part in an element for finishing the side of the wristlet.

In a variant embodiment the case is oval in shape with its major axisextending in the longitudinal direction of the hand, the two oppositesides of the intermediate portion closely tracking the ovalconfiguration. This produces a wristlet that is particularly compactover the width of the hand, while preserving sufficient readability forthe information carried on the display screen, where the display extendsin the long direction of the case.

In a variant embodiment, the wristlet further includes an opening in theintermediate portion, giving access to the back face of the case. Thisenables the battery in the case to be changed, if necessary.

In a variant embodiment, at least one actuator means is mounted on theintermediate portion of the wristlet, at a distance from the case.

In a variant embodiment, at least one actuator means is mounted on thedisplay screen.

The present invention can be better understood on reading the followingdescription of two embodiments of a watch assembly having offsetcontrols, the embodiments being given as non-exhaustive examples andbeing shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the underside of the first embodimentshown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the second embodiment.

The watch assembly 1 of the present invention comprises in conventionalmanner a watch which is mounted, together with its actuator means, on asupport wristlet.

In a manner that is less conventional but that is already known, some ofthe actuator means are offset away from the watch proper so as to besuitable for being actuated by the user using a single hand. Inaddition, the watch proper is mounted on the support wristlet in such amanner as to be positioned on the back of the hand, and not on thewrist.

The term “wristlet” in the present text should be understood broadly asbeing an element suitable for supporting a watch.

As shown in FIG. 1, the support wristlet 2 of the present inventioncomprises three portions presenting quite distinct functions: a proximalportion 3; a distal portion 4; and an intermediate portion 5interconnecting the proximal and distal portions 3 and 4.

The proximal portion 3 is similar to a traditional wristlet for a watchin that it surrounds the user's wrist and serves to hold the watchassembly 1 to said wrist. However, and this difference is essential,this proximal portion 3 does not itself carry the watch 2, which issupported by the intermediate portion 5.

The proximal portion 3 can be secured to the wrist using any suitablealready-known means. In particular, the proximal portion may be in theform of a closed tube, that is elastic in part so as to enable it to beput on the wrist. Above all, it may be an open strap, having fastenermeans that face each other at two opposite free ends, which means may beof the buckle type or of the self-fastening type with hooks and loops.

The distal portion 4 is intended to surround at least the base of theindex finger, preferably its proximal phalanx and possibly also itsmiddle phalanx. It is in the form of a generally closed tube suitablefor being easily engaged on the index finger. It may optionally be openwith fastener means between its two free ends, in particular using aself-fastening mechanical closure system based on hooks and loops.

In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the distal portion 4 covers theproximal phalanx and also a portion of the middle phalanx. In order tolimit any inconvenience at the joint between the proximal and middlephalanges, a transverse cutout 21 is provided in the distal portion 4 inthe zone that is immediately in register with said joint.

The intermediate portion 5 connects the proximal portion 3 to the distalportion 4, and in so doing covers a limited fraction of the back of thehand.

The case 6 containing the mechanism of the watch and its display screen7 is mounted on the wristlet 2, specifically on its intermediate portion5. This can be achieved by any suitable means, either by adhesive, orusing mechanical means, etc.

In the example shown, the watch mechanism has five distinct actuatorelements, three of the elements 8 a, 8 b, and 8 c being associateddirectly with the case 6, and two of the elements 9 and 10 being offsetfrom the case 6 and disposed laterally on the distal portion 4 of thewristlet 2. More precisely, the first offset actuator element 9 overliesthe proximal phalanx while the second offset element 10 overlies themiddle phalanx. They are thus disposed in the same longitudinaldirection and are on the side of the wristlet so as to be suitable forbeing actuated directly by the thumb 11.

The two offset actuator elements 9 and 10 are connected to the watchmechanism by connection means 12 which are integrated in the wristlet 2.

The wristlet 2 is a flexible piece that is generally light in weight andperforated, with the term “piece” being used broadly, it beingunderstood that it may itself comprise an assembly of a plurality offlexible pieces that may be made of knitted, woven, or possiblynon-woven textile materials, elastomer materials, leather, or otherflexible materials. The composition of this piece may differ between itsproximal, intermediate, and distal portions.

In a specific embodiment, the flexible piece for forming the wristlet isconstituted by a fabric whose outside face, i.e. face that does not comeinto contact with the user's skin, is coated in a layer of elastomer, atleast in the zone of the wristlet in which the connection means 12 andthe offset actuator means 9 and 10 are situated. Under suchcircumstances, the metal tracks constituting the connection means 12 aresituated within the elastomer layer. A conductive powder of electricalresistance that varies as a function of the pressure exerted thereon isalso mixed in with this elastomer layer. It is this mixture of powderand elastomer that constitutes the actuator elements 9 and 10. Thisparticular disposition presents the advantage of not leading to anyextra thickness or unacceptable stiffness on the index finger, whichcould be awkward for a user engaged in a sport.

In the example shown, the intermediate portion 5 of the wristlet has nofunction other than supporting the case 6 and the three actuatorelements 8 a, 8 b, and 8 c. Its configuration is thus almost the same asthat of the case, with small margins 13 projecting from either sidethereof.

In the present example, the watch case 6 is oval in shape with its majoraxis extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the hand.This oval shape enables the watch to be as compact as possible on theback of the hand in the transverse direction, while still providing thebest possible legibility of the display screen 7 for the user. Theintermediate portion 5 of the wristlet thus has opposite sides that arecurved to track the sides of the oval shape of the case 6.

In the intermediate portion 5 of the wristlet 2 there may also beprovided an opening 14 giving access to the back of the case 6, forexample when such access is needed in order to change the battery in thewatch.

In the second embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, the same references areused again for elements that are unchanged compared with the firstembodiment described above. This second embodiment differs from thefirst mainly in the disposition and the structure of the actuatorelements and the connection means. Two actuator elements 15 and 16 aredisposed on the distal portion 4 of the wristlet 2, the first element 15being disposed laterally, i.e. on the side of the index finger overlyingthe proximal phalanx, and the second element 16 is disposed beside thefirst element 15 on the back of the proximal phalanx. These two actuatorelements in this second embodiment thus have a transverse dispositionand not a longitudinal disposition as in the first embodiment. Actuatingthe second element placed on the back of the proximal phalanx requiresspecial attention since the movement required is less natural. Thishelps avoid potential wrong moves. This second element is thereforegiven the less-frequent control to actuate, for example the start/resetcontrol.

Two actuator elements 17 and 18 are disposed on the intermediate portion5 or possibly on the proximal portion 3 of the wristlet 2 at a distancefrom the case 6. Like the first two elements 15 and 16, they aretherefore offset relative to said case 6.

A last actuator element 19 is disposed on the display screen 7.

The first four actuator elements 15-18 are formed by silkscreen printingon the wristlet 2. In addition, the connection means connecting them tothe watch mechanism are metal textile threads that may optionally behidden in the facing 20, i.e. in the peripheral finishing element of thewristlet 2.

Thus, in the two embodiments described, both the connection means andthe actuator elements are flexible and fully integrated in the wristlet,so that their presence does not impede the user in any significantmanner while performing a sporting activity.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described aboveby way of non-exhaustive example. In particular, even though it isdesirable to fit the distal portion with two actuator elements, e.g. ofthe ON/OFF type for the first element and of the intermediatetime-taking type for the second element, the invention is not restrictedthereto. There might be only one actuator element, or possibly three,providing at least one of these elements placed on the distal portion ofthe wristlet covering at least the base of the index finger is situatedlaterally in such a manner as to be directly accessible to the thumb ofthe same hand.

1. A watch assembly comprising a case housing the watch mechanism andthe display screen, actuator means for actuating the mechanism externalto the case and connected to the mechanism by connection means, and awristlet supporting the actuator means, the connection means, and thecase, the case being placed on the back of the hand, the assembly beingcharacterized in that the wristlet comprises a flexible piececomprising: a) a proximal portion (3) for surrounding the wrist; b) adistal portion (4) for surrounding at least the first phalanx at thebase of the index finger; and c) an intermediate portion for extendingover the back of the hand between said proximal and distal portions andsupporting the case; and in that at least one actuator means is mountedlaterally on the distal portion of the wristlet so as to be actuatableby the thumb of the same hand.
 2. An assembly according to claim 1,wherein the distal portion of the wristlet is configured to surroundonly the proximal phalanx and possibly also the middle phalanx of theindex finger.
 3. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein two distinctactuator elements are mounted laterally and longitudinally on the distalportion of the wristlet, in particular an element for actuating anON/OFF control, and an element for actuating an intermediate timecontrol.
 4. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein two distinctactuator elements are mounted transversely on the distal portion of thewristlet, and in particular a first element disposed on the side of theindex finger serving to actuate an ON/OFF control, and a second element(16) disposed beside the first element, e.g. on the back of the indexfinger, serving to actuate an intermediate time control.
 5. An assemblyaccording to claim 1, wherein the actuator means and the connectionmeans are flexible.
 6. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein theflexible piece in which the wristlet is made comprises a layer offlexible material, in particular elastomer material, having theconnection means and the actuator means integrated therein.
 7. Anassembly according to claim 6, wherein the actuator means areconstituted by a powder which is locally mixed in the layer of flexiblematerial and which presents electrical resistance that varies as afunction of the pressure that is exerted thereon.
 8. An assemblyaccording to claim 5, wherein the actuator elements are formed bysilkscreen printing on the wristlet.
 9. An assembly according to claim6, wherein the connection means are metal threads, wires, or tracksembedded in the layer of flexible material.
 10. An assembly according toclaim 5, wherein the connection means are metal textile threads, hiddenat least in part in an element for finishing the side of the wristlet.11. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the case is oval in shapewith its major axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the hand,the two opposite sides of the intermediate portion closely tracking theoval configuration.
 12. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein thewristlet includes an opening in the intermediate portion giving accessto the back face of the case.
 13. An assembly according to claim 1,wherein the distal portion of the wristlet is designed to surround theproximal phalanx and the middle phalanx and includes a transverse cutoutsituated in register with the joint between the proximal and middlephalanges of the index finger.
 14. An assembly according to claim 1,wherein at least one actuator element is disposed on the intermediateportion or the proximal portion of the wristlet, at a distance from thecase.
 15. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein two distinctactuator elements are mounted laterally and longitudinally on the distalportion of the wristlet, in particular an element for actuating anON/OFF control, and an element for actuating an intermediate timecontrol.
 16. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein two distinctactuator elements are mounted transversely on the distal portion of thewristlet, and in particular a first element disposed on the side of theindex finger serving to actuate an ON/OFF control, and a second elementdisposed beside the first element, e.g., on the back of the indexfinger, serving to actuate an intermediate time control.
 17. An assemblyaccording to claim 2, wherein the actuator means and the connectionmeans are flexible.
 18. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein theflexible piece in which the wristlet is made comprises a layer offlexible material, in particular elastomer material, having theconnection means and the actuator means integrated therein.
 19. Anassembly according to claim 6, wherein the actuator means areconstituted by a powder which is locally mixed in the layer of flexiblematerial and which presents electrical resistance that varies as afunction of the pressure that is exerted thereon.
 20. An assemblyaccording to claim 6, wherein the actuator elements are formed bysilkscreen printing on the wristlet.